Dozens of bills in the House being voted on to curb drug epidemic

As New Jersey and the United States continues to battle a drug epidemic wreaking havoc on so many, lawmakers are voting on a series of bills aimed at providing solutions to a deadly problem.

Shore Congressman Tom MacArthur (NJ - 3rd District - R) says these bills are not about funding or looking for some, they're about policy and prevention.

"There are things we can do and are doing in these bills that get at prevention like encouraging non-addictive opioid alternatives to treating pain, improving data to identify and help at-risk patients and families, educational initiatives and addressing high prescription rates," MacArthur said.

Over 50-bills in total are being voted on MacArthur said, all with a purpose.

"These are bills...some of which have come from the Bi-Partisan Heroin Task Force that I chair, some of them are medicare and tax related bills and some of them are changing policy," MacArthur said. "We're trying to address this crisis in a lot different ways and when we're done with all these bills, we'll pull it all together into a single overall bill that both funds and changes public policy."

One of the bills they're voting on in the House focuses on getting prescription drug monitoring programs which will limit the amount of prescriptions someone can get.

The series of policy changes being proposed also plan to help local communities fight back against this epidemic.

"(With these bills) we give our law enforcement organizations tools to get dangerous drugs out of their communities, we do things to better intercept opioids at international mail facilities and we're providing more resources for local communities," MacArthur said.

H.R. 3331 - To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to promote testing of incentive payments for behavioral health providers for adoption and use of certified electronic health record technology, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Lynn Jenkins / Energy and Commerce Committee).

H.R. 5272 - To ensure that programs and activities that are funded by a grant, cooperative agreement, loan, or loan guarantee from the Department of Health and Human Services, and whose purpose is to prevent or treat a mental health or substance use disorder, are evidence-based, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Steve Stivers / Energy and Commerce Committee).

H.R. 5583 - To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require States to annually report on certain adult health quality measures, and for other purposes (Sponsored by Rep. Yvette Clarke / Energy and Commerce Committee).

H.R. 5892 - To establish an Advisory Committee on Opioids and the Workplace to advise the Secretary of Labor on actions the Department of Labor can take to address the impact of opioid abuse on the workplace (Sponsored by Rep. Jason Lewis / Education and the Workforce Committee).

H.R. 4635 - To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the number of peer-to-peer counselors providing counseling for women veterans, and for other purposes, as amended (Sponsored by Rep. Mike Coffman / Veterans Affairs Committee).

H.R. 5788 - Securing the International Mail Against Opioids Act of 2018 (Subject to a Rule) (Sponsored by Rep. Mike Bishop / Ways and Means Committee).